The Book of Latik
by Master Gamer
Summary: Robotnik comes across an ancient book that includes instructions for building a laser cannon more then capable of destroying the ENTIRE Great Forest and Things turn from bad to worse when Sally and Rotor are captured by a robotic Knuckles.
1. Default Chapter

The Book of Latik  
  
By: Courtney "Master Gamer" Johnson  
  
Notes: This fic follows SatAM and the Games (or a merger in other words)  
  
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Underground Mobius (10,000 feet below sea level)  
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"Sir Doctor Robotnik, what is the meaning of traveling all the way down here?" A human asked, puzzled. The human stood about four and a half feet tall. He wore a plain blue shirt and rust brown pants. His big head had very few hairs, but his head's most prominent feature was his long needle-shaped nose.  
  
"Snively, echidnas used to live here; some of the most brilliant and maniacal ones too," Another human explained. "I'm looking for anything they could have left behind,"   
  
This human redefined the description of obese. He weighed about five hundred pounds; his arms and legs were so big they were intimidating (even though in truth they were all fat). His head had a long orange mustache that extended farther then the length of his face, and his head was bald. This man was Doctor Robotnik, Mobius' most evil being.  
  
Suddenly, Snively stumbled forward and fell onto his hands and knees, wondering what he had tripped over. The needle-nosed nephew of Robotnik stood up and dusted himself off, turning around only to see an old book. Snively walked over, ready to pick it up when Robotnik's voice barked "Don't you dare Snively, let me see that book first!"  
  
The evil doctor walked over and picked up the book. He flipped through the pages with interest.   
  
"Snively, do you know what this is?" Robotnik asked his nephew.  
  
"No sir," Snively replied.  
  
"THIS, Snively, could very well be the key to destroying that hedgehog, and the whole great forest,"   
  
------------------  
Two weeks later...  
------------------  
  
"Do you know why we are all gathered here today?" Princess Sally, head of the Freedom Fighters asked.  
  
"Let me guess, another one of those missions where we go to a SWATbot plant, place a bomb, and watch it blow sky high," Sonic answered in his usual sarcastic way.  
  
"Sonic!" Sally snapped. "No, this mission is much more important then that. A reliable source has confirmed that Robotnik has found the ancient book of Latik. This book was written by Latik, an ancient echidna believed to be the smartest, most maniacal organic life form that ever lived. The book contains instructions for building some type of laser cannon,"   
  
"Whoa! That's like way past not good!" The blue hedgehog exclaimed.  
  
"Not only that, but Robotnik has also built a robotic version of Knuckles,"   
  
"Oh, man!!!"  
  
"We're leaving for Robotropolis in one hour. We must find take the book and destroy it. Me, Sonic, and Rotor are going. Bunnie and Antoine, you look after Tails. Be ready,"  
  
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Robotropolis  
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"Hmm... Very simple. To build the cannon we need all the metal parts, which I have more then enough of, and chaos emeralds. The number of chaos emeralds depends on the size of area you want to destroy," Robotnik said. "Ah... Here's a table showing how many chaos emeralds we need. Snively, what is the approximate size of the Great Forest?"  
  
"Around three hundred acres sir," Snively replied.  
  
"Hmm... We will need any three chaos emeralds,"  
  
"What about the hedgehog sir, won't he interfere?"  
  
"R-Knuckles! Come forth!" Robotnik yelled.  
  
A creature that looked identical to Knuckles walked forward.  
  
"Sir Doctor Robotnik, I thought you said 'R-Knuckles', not 'Knuckles'?"  
  
"Snively, I did. This is not Knuckles, though you can tell no difference," Robotnik explained.  
  
"How can I help you sir Doctor Robotnik?" The robot asked, his voice identical to Knuckles'. Snively could only gasp in amazement.  
  
"Go patrol the streets of Robotropolis. If any Freedom Fighters show up on your scanners, bring them here alive," Robotnik instructed.  
  
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The Great Forest one hour later...  
----------------------------------  
  
A rush of wind... A sonic boom! Sonic sped through the great forest, following the straightaway path to Robotropolis that the Freedom Fighters had cleared away for him. Sally and Rotor in his arms he rushed through the Great Forest, which could now be seen only as a blur. Sonic felt the rush of wind and smiled.  
As he reached the edge of the great forest, the disgusting fumes of toxic waste could be smelt; they had finally reached Robotropolis.  
  
"Okay Sonic, you sneak into the ventilation shaft and record any conversation between Robotnik and Snively with this recording device," Sally said, handing the blue hedgehog a handheld audio recorder. "Rotor, us two will hack into his computers and see if he has anything about the book in his database. Now lets move!!!"  
  
--------------------------------  
Five minutes later with Sonic...  
--------------------------------  
  
It was around ten at night, but Robotropolis was so polluted that no stars could be seen.  
  
"Man, this is gonna be a cakewalk! Sneak into the ventilation system, find and destroy the oldest book in Robotropolis and..." Sonic began before being cut off by a familiar voice.  
  
"And say hello to your old friend Knuckles,"  
  
Sonic whirled around only to see the red echidna. He looked identical to Knuckles, and his voice was identical to Knuckles. Sonic couldn't put his finger on it, but something about him wasn't right.   
  
"Don't you remember me Sonic," Knuckles questioned in a strange way.  
  
That was it, this guy couldn't be Knuckles. But if this guy wasn't Knuckles, who was he?   
  
"I remember a red echidna named Knuckles, but I don't remember you," Sonic answered.  
  
"Ah... So Sonic, you're a lot smarter then you look. I am R-Knuckles, a robotic version of Knuckles. Prepare to be tortured!!!" R-Knuckles shouted fiercely, charging toward the stunned Sonic. Sonic was too stunned to let his reflexes take effect. R-Knuckles tackled Sonic; the blue hedgehog hit the ground with a loud "oof".   
  
R-Knuckles punched Sonic once in the stomach. Surprisingly his fist didn't feel like metal. The blow fell and an incredible pain shot through his stomach. Knuckles aimed another punch at Sonic's jaw. The pain from this attack was much worse. He watched the blood pour out of his upper jaw and knew that this echidna was gonna kill him. This echidna seemed even more murderous then the real Knuckles.   
  
R-Knuckles aimed one final punch at the blue hedgehog's head. Sonic yelled in pain as R-Knuckles powerful fist came in contact with his forehead. Sonic was barely aware of the robotic echidna getting off of him.   
  
The darkness began to blanket him, the cold, cruel laugh of R-Knuckles, and the incredible pain that was coursing through his body fading from his senses. Sonic fought against it, raising one shaking fist. He forced his eyes half-open and thought "Hedgehog, you have failed big time," before passing out.  
  
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Five minutes later with Sally and Rotor  
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The streets were quiet... Too quiet. The feeling made Sally uneasy. Normally Robotropolis was swarming with SWATbots, but not now.  
  
"Look! There's the computer we need!" Rotor softly exclaimed.  
  
"Okay then, let's go," Sally said.  
  
"I don't think so," Came a familiar voice.  
  
Sally turned around and could only gasp in shock...  
  
---  
After Notes:  
  
So what did you think? Was it good, or bad? Let me tell you, good or bad there isn't anything that motivates me to write like reviews do. So please review.  
  
Note that R-Knuckles is the Robotic Knuckles from Sonic Advance. 


	2. Shocking News

The Book of Latik  
Chapter 2: Shocking News  
  
By: Courtney "Master Gamer" Johnson  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Zero, Zip, nadda.  
  
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With Sally and Rotor  
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"Knuckles!!! What are you doing here in Robotropolis?" Sally questioned. It was very rare that Knuckles ever left the Floating Island, and it was even rarer that Knuckles would go to Robotropolis.   
  
"Oh, just hangin' out," Knuckles replied.  
  
"Something really strange is going on," thought Sally. She asked aloud "Shouldn't you be guarding the Master Emerald?"  
  
"Naw,"  
  
"That solves it right there. You're not Knuckles! Who are you?"   
  
"Ha! And I thought Sonic was smart! I am R-Knuckles, Knuckles' robotic double!"  
  
The thought of this gave Sally the creeps, as his voice was the same and he looked identical to Knuckles. Normally she would have laughed at him calling Sonic 'smart' but she was too worried to make a sarcastic comment.  
  
"You confronted Sonic?" Sally asked.  
  
"Yes," replied R-Knuckles.  
  
"Where is he? What happened to him,"  
  
"I don't know," R-Knuckles replied.  
  
"Yes you do!" Sally screamed.  
  
"Ah, you are so right, I do know where he is. I don't think you'll see him anytime soon though. As for 'what' happened to him," R-Knuckles explained, faking a punch to the head. "That is what happened,"   
  
All this time Rotor had been frozen with shock.  
"Now, I left him where he was even though Robotnik said to bring him, so he made it out lucky. As for you two, I'm sure Robotnik has more then enough room for you," R-Knuckles said.   
  
The red echidna sprang forward, tackling both Sally and Rotor in one shot. The two freedom fighters struggled against R-Knuckles' strong body to no avail. R-Knuckles laughed a cold laugh that set shivers down Sally's spine.  
  
Not letting the two freedom fighters from his grip, R-Knuckles swiftly threw a blow to each freedom fighters heads. Sally and Rotor were knocked cold on contact.  
  
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Next Morning  
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Sonic slowly came to. His vision was blurred and his head badly throbbed. His jaw was hurting too, but his head was worse. He rubbed and blinked his eyes, trying to clear the blurriness. Though it subsided shortly after, he felt as if it had taken eternity.  
  
He could now make out a red echidna.  
  
"Get away from me R-Knux, I really don't feel like fighting today, but I can sure as heck make an exception in your case," Sonic yelled.  
  
"Sonic! You're in no condition to fight. Look at yourself! And I am not R-Knux!" The red echidna said.  
  
Sonic looked in a mirror on the wall and gasped. His chest and face were covered with blood; it streaked from his head and his jaw.  
  
"Good God! R-Knux, are you trying to tell me I'm a wimp?" Sonic yelled, confused.  
  
"Sonic, no I'm not, and my name is not R-Knux!"  
  
"Okay, if you don't believe me, watch," Knuckles said as he opened a window. "You may remember from your trips here but over there is Marble Gardens, over there is Ice Cap, and over there is Hydrocity,"  
  
"Then where are we?" Sonic asked.  
  
"Angel Island," Knuckles answered. "I tell ya, we're on the floating island!"  
  
Sonic slowly sat up, wincing.   
  
"Oh man Knuckles, sorry," Sonic apologized.  
  
"No problem. What happened to you?" Knuckles asked.  
  
"Robotnik got his filthy mitts on the Book of Latik and built a robotic version of you, same voice and muscles,"  
  
"If Robotnik can find the chaos emeralds he needs Sonic, then you all are done for!"   
  
"Yeah, worst part is that he only needs three to vaporize the whole danged Great Forest,"  
  
"That's real bad,"  
  
"No, that's WAY PAST bad,"  
  
---  
But things could be worse...  
---  
  
Sally moaned slightly as she opened her eyes. The floor was bloodstained and smelt of a thousand decomposed bodies sandwiched together in one place. There were no walls, only bars. After seeing this, she knew that she was in Robotnik's prison.  
  
A television came down from the ceiling. The set came on, displaying Robotnik's face.  
  
"Ah, good morning princess. Have a nice nap? Ah! Ha! Ha! Ha! I hope my dear friend R-Knuckles didn't hit you TOO hard," Robotnik began. R-Knuckles flashed an evil grin. "Actually, from what I hear, it sounds like you should be more worried about the hedgehog!"  
  
Sally gasped at this.   
  
"When he hears of your capture he'll come speeding in... That is, if he's not too weak! Then we'll... exchange prisoners. Now I'm afraid I must be going, I have some chaos emeralds to find,"  
  
---  
The Floating Island  
---  
"Suh... Suh... Sonic," Knuckles began, walking back from the door.  
  
"What?" Sonic asked.  
  
"Robotnik's got them,"  
  
"The chaos emeralds?"  
  
"No, Sally and Rotor. Rotor hasn't woke up since last night,"  
  
"Oh god! Dang you R-Knux!" Sonic yelled. "I'm going to get them,"   
  
"Oh no your not! Not in your condition pal!"  
  
"Huh, if Rotor hasn't yet awakened, I'd like to see his condition! I'm going Knux, and if you try to stop me I'll maul you good,"  
  
Knuckles backed away. He wasn't scared by Sonic's threat, but something told him that Sonic was a lot stronger then he looked.  
  
"Oh... And uh, Sonic," Knuckles called.  
  
"Yeah?" Asked Sonic.  
  
"Um... Good luck,"  
  
"Thanks," Sonic replied, running out the door at full speed. In order to jump off the Floating Island without dying, he would need a lot of speed. He ran faster and faster, reaching around four hundred miles per hour, the speed he needed to jump without dying.  
  
The blue hedgehog approached the edge at around five hundred miles-per-hour, the ground a blur around him. He felt nothing but the air as he made the jump and curled into a ball. He rapidly fell over the Great Forest, where the Floating Island was hovering over this time of year. He hit the ground and painfully uncurled.   
  
"Oh, man I hate doing that," The blue hedgehog complained.  
  
Sonic sped away to Robotropolis unaware of what danger would lie ahead...  
  
---  
Emerald Mountain  
---  
  
"Snively! If the hedgehog shows up, call me IMMEDIATELY, I have a 'little surprise' for him," Robotnik said.  
  
"Yes sir Doctor Robotnik," Came Snively's response.  
  
---  
OK! Was this chapter good or bad? Let me know. Thanks In advance. 


	3. From Bad to Worse

The Book of Latik  
  
Chapter 2:   
  
Sorry for no updates, I was busy working on my now finished Triple Trouble Team.  
  
Anyways, please review when your done so I know how to improve and what not to change (not to mention to motivate me)  
Really appreciate it, thanks!  
  
---  
Robotropolis  
---  
  
Sonic looked around a corner in the seemingly abandoned Robotropolis. Nobody was around the corner. Warily looking to his left and right, Sonic stepped around the corner. He felt strange, like someone was following him. But who would be following him? His muscles still hurt from the previous night's quarrel with R-Knuckles, and the discomfort didn't make walking around Robotropolis any easier. Normally Sonic didn't go to Robotropolis in the daytime, but the longer Robotnik had The Book of Latik, the lesser chance the great forest had of remaining a great forest.  
  
A noise... footsteps... the sound of someone scurrying back to a hiding place after being discovered.  
  
Sonic whirled around and saw nothing but the buildings of the ominously quiet Robotropolis. His natural courage began to fade. Should he go back? Should he just stand and wait? Should he go towards the noise or should he continue forward? Without thinking any further, Sonic stood still and yelled, "If you're there, come and get me!!!" His voice echoed off every building around him.   
  
From behind him, a red echidna stepped into view.  
  
"Sonic, Sonic, Sonic. How's the day? Feeling a little sore? Ah ha ha ha!!!!!"  
  
"R-Knuckles," Sonic coldly muttered.  
  
"So what are you here for? Another beating?"   
  
"No R-Knux, I'm here to destroy your little friend," And with that, Sonic turned around and ran away for the first time in his life, unsure of where to head.  
  
---  
The prison  
---  
  
Sally paced back and forth throughout the cell, thinking of how to escape, grab the Book of Latik and run before Sonic could race to Robotropolis and get himself captured (she was unaware of Sonic's presence in the city). Even if she could manage to slip through the bars, about five feet away a yellowish force field surrounded the area around the cell. She couldn't think of a way out of Robotnik's prison and Sonic would be coming within a matter of minutes.  
  
She sat down and looked at Rotor, who was still unconscious. She shook him gently. He stirred and slowly opened his eyes. He was aware of a severe headache and Sally's presence.  
  
"Sally, is Robotnik gonna roboticize us?" Rotor asked, fear evident in his voice.  
  
"Rotor, I don't think so. I think he's gonna let us go, but at Sonic's expense," Sally replied.  
  
---  
Streets of Robotropolis  
---  
  
Sonic tore through the streets of Robotropolis. His heart wildly pounded in his head and he was finding it hard to breathe. How long had he been running? He had been running for what seemed like eternity and R-Knuckles had managed to stay with him.   
  
"What kind of jets does this guy have?" Sonic wondered. He had never run to the point where breathing became hard. Either that, or R-Knuckles was using something on him. His strength was decreasing; he didn't know how much longer his legs would allow him to run.  
  
R-Knuckles was really gaining on Sonic now.  
  
"Give up Sonic! You can't beat me!" R-Knuckles taunted.  
  
"No... NEVER!!!" Sonic managed to yell. He forced himself to run faster and R-Knuckles turned up the speed as well.  
  
"You asked for it hedgehog!!!"  
  
With a swift move, R-Knuckles shot forward and tackled Sonic.  
  
"Not again," Sonic thought.  
  
"I see I didn't beat you up well enough last time, eh? Well we can fix that, now can't we?" The red echidna asked.  
  
Sonic kept a straight face and gave no response. Obviously angered, R-Knuckles picked Sonic and threw him five feet forward. Sonic hit the ground with a loud crash. Now this hurt.  
  
"Well Sonic, my sensors indicate that you are weakening due to the poisonous air. Now I need to finish the job and send you on a one-way trip to the boss," R-Knuckles announced.  
  
"That explains where my strength went," Sonic thought. By now, Sonic was too weakened to stand or even sit up.  
  
R-Knuckles walked over to the weakened Sonic and smiled. Picking the hedgehog up, R-Knuckles threw Sonic at the nearest building ahead. Sonic hit the building and fell to the ground unconscious and bloody.  
  
---  
2 hours later: Robotnik's Fortress  
---  
  
"Snively, I have the hedgehog here," R-Knuckles announced to Robotnik's nephew, who was standing across the room.  
  
"Well I can see that. Good work," Snively replied. "You'll have to hang on a second R-Knuckles,"  
  
Snively pressed a button on a control panel he was standing behind.  
  
"Sir Doctor Robotnik," Snively called into the communication system on his control panel.  
  
"Yes Snively? This had better be good!" Robotnik barked back.  
  
"What do you want me to do with the hedgehog sir?"   
  
"Ah... So you have the hedgehog?"  
  
"Yes sir,"  
  
"Remember that new building I built called 'the chamber'? Take him there and use every instrument on that panel in there!!! Oh, and be sure to send me footage of it. I've been waiting a long time for this. But first, you may let the two freedom fighters go,"  
  
"Sir, have you found the first emerald?"  
  
"Yes, I have found the green emerald and am headed to the Ice Cap region, out,"  
  
"Well, the chamber, very fitting for that pathetic creature," R-Knuckles commented.  
  
"Yes I know," Snively replied, walking into the room that contained the cell and forcefield. Pressing a button on the wall, the force field instantly diminished. Snively pressed another button and the cell opened.  
  
Sally gasped as R-Knuckles walked into the room carrying the limp and bloody Sonic.   
  
"Oh Man," Rotor gasped.  
  
Snively smiled and said, "If Sonic looks good now, in a matter of hours he'll look simply terrific. Go, or Sonic will look indescribable,"  
  
Sally thought long and hard. Should she go back to Knothole like Snively said? Or should she stay and see what Snively was planning on doing with Sonic.   
  
Sally decided, took Rotor's hand, and walked out, ignoring the mocking laughs and jeers of Snively and R-Knuckles.   
  
"Sally what are you doing?" Rotor whispered.  
  
"Rotor, We need a plan and more freedom fighters to rescue Sonic," Sally explained.  
  
Snively heard Sally and Rotor's conversation, but wasn't concerned. R-Knuckles carried Sonic into a room across the hall known only as "The Chamber" and laid Sonic onto the floor. Snively had followed R-Knuckles into "The Chamber". "The Chamber" was a small square room about twenty feet on each side. Lined against the far wall was a tall glass tube resembling a roboticizer tube with a metal chair inside it. The metal chair had two arms on the side that contained bindings for the hands. At the bottom were bindings for feet. A couple feet away from the tube was a control panel with several buttons and a small microphone, which Snively walked over to.  
  
"R-Knuckles, lay Sonic in the chair," Snively instructed calmly. The needle-nosed nephew of Robotnik pressed a button on the control panel and the tube slid down. R-Knuckles picked the hedgehog up and sat him upright in the chair. "Step away, R-Knuckles,"  
  
R-Knuckles obeyed and Snively pressed two more buttons. Instantly, the bindings for the hands and feet locked into position. Pressing a final button, the tube came back up.  
  
With a soft groan, Sonic opened his eyes, he had thought getting beaten up by R-Knuckles was painful the first time, but this hurt worse, much worse. Lifting his head off of his chest, he looked straight ahead and unnaturally panicked. He was in a roboticizer... but on a chair? The roboticize didn't have chairs! He tried to move his arms and legs, but soon learned of his bindings. Then, the realization that he was trapped with no way out washed over him.  
  
"Well, well, well," Snively began, an evil grin spreading across the length of his face, "We finally have you hedgehog. On this pan al are questions to ask if you ever were brought here. You are not in a roboticizer. You, hedgehog, are in for a world of shock-- electrical shock that is, if you do not answer my questions.   
  
You see hedgehog, killing you would be much too easy on you and we would lose the opportunity for information. So Hedgehog, here is your question: I want the location of both Knothole village and the chaos emeralds..." 


End file.
